Cubs utility man Ben Zobrist will soon begin working his way back to the majors. Team president Theo Epstein told reporters on Friday that Zobrist intends to return this season and plans to begin a minor-league rehab assignment by next weekend. 

Zobrist, 38, has been on the restricted list since May. At the time, he took a leave of absence when he and his wife Julianna each filed for divorce. 

Here are further details on Zobrist's timeline: 

Barring the unexpected, Zobrist should be added to the active roster before September. 

This season, Zobrist is batting .241/.343/.253 in 26 games with time spent at second base and the outfield corners. That's a small sample, obviously, and it's out of step with his strong performance in 2018. Provided Zobrist is still capable of producing adequately at the plate, the Cubs could certainly use his defensive flexibility on the roster. Zobrist is in the final year of a four-year, $56 million contract with the Cubs.